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2Aug

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Kagiso Rabada doubtful for England Test series | Cricket News – Times of India

South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada has been ruled out of two Twenty20 Internationals against Ireland this week and is also a doubt for the three-match Test series against England as he works his way back from a medial ligament injury in his ankle. Rabada is a key strike bowler for South Africa in the longer format and his absence would be a huge blow to the tourists' hopes of success in the England series, which starts at Lord's on August 17. Cricket South Africa said on Tuesday the 27-year-old would be closely monitored ahead of the Test series but offered no time frame on a potential return to action. He is definitely out of the T20 games against Ireland that will be played in Bristol on Wednesday and Friday. South Africa will look to cement their lead in the World Test Championsh...

28Jul

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Guptill leapfrogs Rohit Sharma to become highest run-getter in T20Is

New Zealand opener Martin Guptill went past India captain Rohit Sharma to become the highest run scorer in T20 Internationals, during the first game against Scotland here. The 35-year-old talismanic batter achieved the milestone on Wednesday en route his 31-ball 40. Guptill’s opening partner Finn Allen also scored a stroke-filled maiden century (101 off 56 balls) in the shortest format, as the Black Caps posted 225/5 batting first. In reply, the hosts were restricted to 157/8 with Ish Sodhi claiming 4/28 and Mitchell Santner picking up 2/23. Apart from Rohit, Guptill is closely followed by former India captain Virat Kohli (3,308), Ireland’s ODI skipper Paul Stirling (2,894), and Australian captain Aaron Finch, who is fifth in the list with 2,855 runs. In 2021, Kohli becam...

19Jul

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Ben Stokes hopes ODI retirement serves as a warning to cricket | Cricket News – Times of India

CHESTER-LE-STREET (United Kingdom): Ben Stokes said on Tuesday he hopes his retirement from one-day internationals will serve as a warning to cricket chiefs over an increasingly congested global schedule, with the all-rounder insisting players "are not cars, you can't just fill us up". Stokes was a central figure in England's 2019 World Cup final triumph, their greatest moment in 50-over cricket. But Stokes is making his 105th and final ODI appearance against South Africa on Tuesday -- a match taking place at his Durham home ground. Test captain Stokes announced his ODI retirement on Monday with a notably pointed comment that England's current fixture schedule was "unsustainable" and that he could no longer give of his best in all three international formats. Stokes, who will continue t...

19Jul

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Ben Stokes made ‘selfless’ decision to retire from ODIs: Rob Key | Cricket News – Times of India

LONDON: England managing director of cricket Rob Key has praised Ben Stokes for his "selfless" decision to ignore the "financial implications" of retiring from one-day internationals. Stokes will make his 105th and final ODI appearance at his Durham home ground against South Africa on Tuesday after taking his shock decision to quit the format 24 hours earlier. Key's first act after being appointed was to hire Stokes as England's Test captain, but he knows the relentless fixture demands on top international players make it hard to feature in all versions of the game. While the monetary terms of Stokes' central contract could come under review, Key feels England's Test and Twenty20 teams will stand to gain enormously from the all-rounder lightening his workload. "It may well end up having...

15Jul

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Robert Key pleased how quickly England’s new Test approach clicked | Cricket News – Times of India

LONDON: England men's director of cricket Rob Key does not like the term "Bazball" but is surprised how quickly the Test team's new approach has clicked under coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes. England had won only one of their previous 17 Tests when the new leadership, including Key himself, was put in charge to script a turnaround. England have since blanked world Test champions New Zealand 3-0 and beat India in Edgbaston, particularly impressive was how they chased down 270-plus targets in all four matches. "I never thought it would work like this," Key told BBC Test Match Special. "There will be times when it won't work, but for now it's been fantastic to see." Key, however, felt the term 'Bazball' did not do justice to the hard work put in by McCullum and Stokes. "I'm n...

15Jul

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How McCullum would ask a ‘lift’ to ground from Ollie Pope, just to get talking serious stuff – Rob Key reveals how Bazball works in reality

Even Rob Key, England’s director of cricket who appointed Brendon McCullum as coach and Ben Stokes as Test captain, is surprised at the team’s tremendous success. “I never thought it would work like this,” Key told BBC’s Test Match Special. “There will be times when it won’t work, but for now it’s been fantastic to see,” said Key who took over the role in April after England had stumbled to just one win in 17 Tests. Key also admitted that Ben Stokes’s captaincy has surprised him: “Better than I ever thought.” Key says he isn’t too chuffed with the term ‘Bazball’ because it “devalues what Ben and Brendon have done”. He says McCullum’s and Stokes’ ways is not as casual as’let’s play a few shots’, as the term has conveyed. “They’ve been so premeditated almost and methodical in the way t...

12Jul

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England Test side not a finished product yet: Brendon McCullum

His reign off to an excellent start, red-ball coach Brendon McCullum said England are not a “finished product” yet, adding that winning in all conditions should become a norm for the team. Playing an ultra-aggressive brand of cricket, England have won all four Tests since the new head coach took over last month. “We’re not a finished product first and foremost,” McCullum told ‘SENZ Breakfast’. “We’re a month into it and we’ve had some great results and we’ve seen the cricketing world put them on notice a little bit, but we need to ensure that this becomes a norm for us. “That this style of play and what we’re trying to achieve is completely authentic to us in any given situation and that will be the real challenge,” he added. England, who endured a dismal run over the last 18 months, lo...

12Jul

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England Test side not a finished product yet: Brendon McCullum | Cricket News – Times of India

LONDON: His reign off to an excellent start, red-ball coach Brendon McCullum said England are not a "finished product" yet, adding that winning in all conditions should become a norm for the team. Playing an ultra-aggressive brand of cricket, England have won all four Tests since the new head coach took over last month. "We're not a finished product first and foremost," McCullum told 'SENZ Breakfast'. "We're a month into it and we've had some great results and we've seen the cricketing world put them on notice a little bit, but we need to ensure that this becomes a norm for us. "That this style of play and what we're trying to achieve is completely authentic to us in any given situation and that will be the real challenge," he added. England, who endured a dismal run over the last 18 mo...

9Jul

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Bairstow credits impressive run of form to freedom from COVID protocols, role clarity under McCullum

Star England batter Jonny Bairstow has credited his sensational run of form in the past five Test innings, including the two against India, to freedom from COVID-19 protocols and role clarity under new head coach Brendon McCullum. Bairstow struck 106 and 114 not out to play a major role in England’s seven wicket win over India in the rescheduled fifth Test which the hosts won here on Tuesday. Before that, he scored 1, 16, 8, 136, 162, 71 not out in the three-match Test series against New Zealand which England won 3-0. “It’s the freedom we have now. We’re not in hotel rooms, bubbles, having to do Covid tests everyday and we can do normal things like go to the shop, go for a beer, see your friends and family,” Bairstow told the Tailenders podcast. Jonny Bairstow’s last five innings: 136 ...

9Jul

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Jonny Bairstow credits impressive run of form to freedom from COVID protocols, role clarity under Brendon McCullum | Cricket News – Times of India

BIRMINGHAM: Star England batter Jonny Bairstow has credited his sensational run of form in the past five Test innings, including the two against India, to freedom from COVID-19 protocols and role clarity under new head coach Brendon McCullum. Bairstow struck 106 and 114 not out to play a major role in England's seven wicket win over India in the rescheduled fifth Test which the hosts won here on Tuesday. Before that, he scored 1, 16, 8, 136, 162, 71 not out in the three-match Test series against New Zealand which England won 3-0. "It's the freedom we have now. We're not in hotel rooms, bubbles, having to do Covid tests everyday and we can do normal things like go to the shop, go for a beer, see your friends and family," Bairstow told the Tailenders podcast. "All of those things accum...

9Jul

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Like Guardiola hated the term tiki-taka, McCullum finds Bazball silly

Pep Guardiola “loathed” the term tiki-taka. Brendon McCullum has called Bazball “silly”. The football analogy is not off the mark, for tiki-taka, a coinage of Guardiola’s passing game from the Spanish media, was ahead of its time. Similarly, as England Test captain Ben Stokes had said after his side’s victory over India at Edgbaston, Bazball, a term coined by the British media, has been about attempting to rewrite playing style in the longer format. The summer has seen England’s rise from the Ashes, under their new Test team coach McCullum. They chased down four 270-plus fourth innings targets on the spin, winning 3-0 against New Zealand and making light work of 378 at Edgbaston. Their ultra-attacking cricket has captured the imagination of fans, but this is what McCullum has to say ab...

8Jul

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Brendon McCullum finds all ‘Bazball’ talk silly | Cricket News – Times of India

MELBOURNE: 'Bazball' could be the most used term in world cricket over the last one month but the inspiration behind it, England Test coach Brendon McCullum, finds the incessant talk around the newly coined word 'silly'. 'Bazball', which is derived from McCullum's nickname 'Baz', has been associated with England's drastic change in approach towards Test cricket since the arrival of the new head coach. England, who endured a dismal run over the last 18 months, look a completely transformed outfit with 3-0 series over New Zealand and a record chase in the rescheduled fifth Test against India. Senior Australia batter Steve Smith called England's counter-attacking approach exciting but is not sure about its sustainability, especially till the Ashes in England next summer. Reacting to Smith'...

8Jul

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‘We’ve got an obligation to entertain’: Brendon McCullum on England’s ‘Bazball’ revolution

Brendon McCullum’s first four Tests as England’s red-ball coach has offered a glimpse into the future, which is enthralling and his approach has been a box-office hit. If Eoin Morgan’s England gave world cricket a new template in white-ball cricket, as relentless aggression replaced the old order – keeping wickets in hand before upping the ante in the slog overs, the Kiwi duo of Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes have set a new template in the longer format. In a conversation with Adam Gilchrist on SEN WA Breakfast, the former New Zealand captain said that team’s form can be put down to a culture where players are aiming to produce a ‘brand of cricket’ that will give themselves, and fans. “I certainly wouldn’t say that we’ve changed the face (of Test cricket),” McCullum said. “All we try ...

6Jul

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Rahul Dravid on Bazball: ‘Pata nahi yeh kya hai’ (I don’t know what that is)

At the post-match press conference, after Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow inflicted a crushing defeat on India at Edgbaston, Rahul Dravid was asked about England’s Bazball. The Indian team head coach saw the funny side of it. 🚨 Limited Time Offer | Express Premium with ad-lite for just Rs 2/ day 👉🏽 Click here to subscribe 🚨 “Pata nahi yeh kya hai (don’t know what it is),” Dravid said half in jest and breaking into a smile. On a serious note, he said: “I must say the cricket they (England) played for four Tests, chasing like this in fourth innings doesn’t happen often in this country. But the brand of cricket you play depends on players and their form. You can play positive cricket and take the game forward when you have in-form players. And we also showed that during the partnership between...

4Jul

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Jasprit Bumrah: Keeping calm under pressure and giving Indian cricket new option | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Behind those sunglasses, Brendon McCullum gave away very little, but it wasn't difficult to read his facial expression once Alex Lees was run-out after a horrible mix-up with Joe Root. Within minutes, for England it had gone from being 'Bazball' to 'Bust ball' as 107 for no loss turned to 109 for 3. Irrespective of the outcome of this Test match, Indian cricket has got a genuine captaincy material in Jasprit Bumrah, who can lead the 'Men in Whites' for a long time to come if the cricketing establishment reposes its faith in him. Bumrah, the new 'Smiling Assassin' of Indian cricket, has the potential to become a 'Captain Marvel' if entrusted with full-time responsibility. It will be a steep learning curve for Bumrah and being a fast bowler, there will be spells of injury break...

2Jul

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Hats off to Pant, but we are not scared: England assistant coach Collingwood

Rishabh Pant’s stunning innings of 146 may have put them on the back-foot but England assistant coach Paul Collingwood said the home team is not “scared” and will fight back in the rescheduled fifth Test here. Coming out to bat when India were at 98 for 5, Pant played a knock for the ages to turn the tables on England and take India to a challenging 338 for 7 at stumps on Friday. His stunning 111-ball innings had 19 boundaries and four sixes. But Collingwood said England were not intimidated by India’s remarkable recovery as they were used to chasing big totals in the fourth innings in recent times. “I don’t feel our backs were against the wall for too long, but hats off to the way Pant played. When you’re up against world-class players, they can do world-class things,” Collingwood was ...

1Jul

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India vs England, 5th Test: Old rivalry, new look | Cricket News – Times of India

Both India & England have fresh management but the spotlight will also be on some familiar foes in the rescheduled fifth Test starting todayUnlike the India-Australia contests, the India versus England rivalry has been devoid of personality clashes like Shane Warne vs Sachin Tendulkar or Glenn McGrath vs Tendulkar. There were only brief episodes in the early 2000s when Nasser Hussain and Sourav Ganguly clashed with their unique captaincy styles. It was only after the 2014 series, when Jimmy Anderson had Virat Kohli for lunch, breakfast and dinner, and Kohli responded in style in 2016 at home and 2018 away, that a clash of personalities got top billing. This one-off Test starting at Edgbaston on Friday will perhaps be the last time that one will see the ageing warhorse go up against ...

30Jun

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James Anderson stunned by ‘fearless’ England transformation | Cricket News – Times of India

James Anderson thought he had seen it all over the course of an England career spanning nearly two decades but the Test team's transformation under new coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes has caught the veteran seamer by surprise. England brushed aside New Zealand to chase down targets of 277, 299 and 296 and complete a 3-0 series whitewash of the world Test champions in their first series under McCullum and Stokes. Anderson, who has played a record 171 Tests since his debut in 2003, said they had created a totally different vibe among the squad. "I have never been in a dressing room before when we have chased 300 on a pitch that is turning and everyone has been so calm, believing we were going to chase them down," the 39-year-old told British media. "That for me, after 20 yea...

28Jun

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England keen to keep attacking

During India’s tour of Australia in 2018-19, when Cheteshwar Pujara had faced 1,258 balls for his 521 runs in four Tests to become the cornerstone of India’s first-ever series win Down Under, he made even a new-age cricketer like Shubman Gill fall in love with obdurate batting. Rishabh Pant, who is already quite successful in Test cricket, offers the other extreme, through the irreverence of youth that at times makes him audacious enough to reverse-lap even James Anderson. Test cricket has always revelled in the juxtaposition of obduracy and flair. But maybe, in its next phase of evolution, Bazball-induced, a new template is appearing. Eoin Morgan’s England gave world cricket a new template in white-ball cricket, as relentless aggression replaced the old order – keeping wickets in hand ...

28Jun

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Eoin Morgan: England’s Eoin Morgan says it’s ‘right time to go’ as he retires from internationals | Cricket News – Times of India

LONDON: England's World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan retired from international cricket with immediate effect on Tuesday, saying now was the "right time" to stand down. Morgan led England to victory at the 2019 World Cup -- their first major global 50-overs title -- and took them to the top of the one-day and Twenty20 rankings. But the 35-year-old batsman has been struggling with form and fitness issues this year. Dublin-born Morgan was twice out for nought during the recent ODI series in the Netherlands and withdrew from the third game with a groin issue. Morgan is England's all-time leading run-scorer in ODI and T20 cricket with 6,957 and 2,458 runs respectively. His tally of 225 ODI appearances and 115 in T20Is are also England records. But Morgan, who will continue his domestic c...